Few Surprises in the Winners' Circle

Yes, the 2001 annual hardcover lists are dominated (perhaps overwhelmed would be a more apt word) by the usual chart players--veteran novelists, Oprah guests, familiar nonfiction subjects, well-known personalities and/or prize-winning journalists. The new nonfiction subjects, as often happens, reflect the year's headlines; this year that would most often be the events and aftermath of September 11.

The impact of that overwhelming tragedy, combined with the softer economy, gave the strong impression that book sales for the year would plummet and set new lows. And while that may have been true for several weeks in September and early October, sales figures for the bestsellers of 2001 contradict that assumption. In fact, in hardcover fiction, there were 110 titles that enjoyed annual sales of 100,000 or more last year. In 2000, the number was 109. In nonfiction, there were 123 books that sold more than 100,000 copies; the 2000 figure was 117. These tallies almost always reflect new books or books that remained on bestseller lists from year to year. The figures do not reflect non-bestselling backlist titles.

While sales levels were down a bit in fiction, they were up substantially in nonfiction. The top 15 fiction entries did have one less player in the million-plus category (four in 2001 vs. five in 2000); still, that list bottomed out at about 625,000 copies, just a tad lower than the 638,000 in 2000. A total of 40 works of fiction each sold more than 300,000 in 2001; 39 did the same in 2000. In nonfiction, the sales levels of the top 15 books were higher--in the top spot, The Prayer of Jabez recorded the highest annual total ever for these end-of-the-year charts, and the 2001 top-15 list bottomed out at about 580,000, compared to about 475,000 in 2000.

Religion Rocks

The biggest and perhaps only bestseller news in 2001 was the strength of religious books, especially Christian titles. Many more books than ever before competed successfully in the general trade and continued to enjoy huge growth in the religion bookselling sector. For the first time in the history of our annual hardcover bestseller charts, the #1 fiction and #1 nonfiction title come from Christian publishers.

Desecration, book #9 in the Left Behind apocalyptic series from evangelical Tyndale House, takes the fiction lead, with sales of more than 2.9 million copies. For the first time since 1994, John Grisham does not hold the year's lead spot, although for the first time since he began publishing blockbusters in 1991, he landed two books on the year-end charts, in the #2 and #3 spots. Book #8 in the Left Behind series, The Mark, was #2 in 2000 and Book #7, Assassins, was #3 in 1999.

The bestseller record-breaker is the nonfiction lead title, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson from Multnomah, an independent religion house nestled in the shadows of Oregon's Cascade Mountains. The book sold more than eight million copies in 2001, the highest figure ever on these annual charts. The previous record was set in 1994 by Oprah chef Rosie Daley for In the Kitchen with Rosie; that book sold more than 5.4 million that year. The last time a Christian title topped these annual charts was back in 1975, when Billy Graham's Angels: God's Secret Agents sold about 265,000 copies. Three of the top 15 in 2001 were Jabez-related titles, also an unprecedented achievement. Religion books fared well among the runners-up as well, and three titles--The Christmas Box Miracle, Bringing Up Boys and Traveling Light were among the top 30.

What's New in Blockbusters

Two John Grishams, two Stephen Kings and two James Pattersons are among the top 15 fiction bestsellers. The other names are Danielle Steel, Clive Cussler, Terry McMillan, Sue Grafton, Mary Higgins Clark, Jan Karon and Patricia Cornwell--all familiar and all always successful. The only new name is Jonathan Franzen; his third book, The Corrections, a highly touted literary novel, came close to the million mark in sales and so far has enjoyed 26 weeks on our charts. It landed in the #5 spot on the list shortly after pub date, riding high on excellent reviews, a movie option and a 15-city tour. Farrar, Straus & Giroux began with a 67,500-copy printing and was quickly up to 90,000. Oprah made the book her 43rd book club pick and FSG went back to press for more copies, bringing the total to about 720,000. But Franzen was uncomfortable being an Oprah pick, and his comments got him uninvited from the usual Oprah appearance and book club discussion. The media gave this "dis" enormous play. Still, the book went on to win the National Book Award for fiction last year.

In nonfiction, the concept of unfortunate timing could best be exemplified by Jack Welch's Jack, for which Warner paid about $7 million. Laydown and opening press conference were scheduled for mid-morning September 11. Nonetheless, the book hit the list in the #1 position and the publisher launched it with a 1.2-million first printing; it's #10 on our annual chart, with sales of about 724,000.

Two nonfiction titles in the top 15 have yet to appear on a PW weekly list--TheBlue Day Book and America's Heroes--though both came close several times. According to their publishers, both titles enjoyed huge sales in nonbook outlets, i.e., price clubs and discounters such as Walmart and Target, to name just a few.

The Net vs. Gross Issues

Every year, we state the same disclaimers: all the calculations for this annual bestseller list are based on shipped and billed figures supplied by publishers for new books issued in 2001 and 2000 (a few books published earlier that continued their tenures on the 2001 weekly bestseller charts are also included). These figures reflect only 2001 domestic sales; publishers were instructed not to include book club and overseas transactions. We also asked publishers to take into account returns through February 1, 2002. None of these sales figures should be considered final net sales (and there are a lot of rumors about higher returns than usual in light of a softer economy and the September 11 tragedy, which shifted attention away from certain bestselling categories). For many of these books, especially those published in the last quarter of the year, returns are still to be calculated. Also check out the charts "Who's on First?" and "What's on Second?" They show how different bestsellers fared at the national chains, the independents and at dot-com retailers. Note that none of the retailers in these charts represent the price clubs and discounters--outlets that move huge quantities of bestsellers.

The Fiction Runners-Up

The second tier of 2001 top-selling novels is also dominated by bestselling list veterans. In less competitive years, almost all had placed in the top 15. Three authors--Danielle Steel, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson--also have titles in the top 15. There is only one debut novel in the top 30, Cane River by Lalita Tademy, and it owes its high rank on these charts to being one of Oprah's book club picks.

16.On the Street Where You Live by Mary Higgins Clark (Simon & Schuster, **610,000+)
17.The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan (Putnam, 608,940)
18.Cane River by Lalita Tademy (Warner, 587,248)
19.1st to Die by James Patterson. (Little, Brown, 581,211)
20.Leap of Faith by Danielle Steel (Delacorte, **575,000)
21.The Villa by Nora Roberts (Putnam, 568,385)
22.A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks (Warner, 528,632)
23.Lone Eagle by Danielle Steel (Delacorte, **525,000)
24.The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum (St. Martin's, 512,645)
25.Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts (Putnam, 489,354)
26.Chosen Prey by John Sandford (Putnam, 477,855)
27.One Door Away from Heaven by Dean Koontz (Bantam, **475,000)
28.Last Man Standing by David Baldacci (Warner, 470,117)
29.Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy (Dutton, 419,464)
30.Blood and Gold by Anne Rice (Knopf, 411,761)

400,000+ Fiction Didn't Place

There were 10 novels with sales of more than 300,000 copies in 2001 that did not place in the top-30 grouping; two of these sold more than 400,000. In 2000, three books that sold over 400,000 and six that sold over 300,000 did not make the top 30.

The 400,000-plus duo are Seven Up by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's) and Jackdaws by Ken Follett (Dutton); they were on the charts for six and seven weeks, respectively. Evanovich was one of the 14 novelists last year who hit the list in the #1 spot the first week out.

All the books with sales of 300,000 copies or more in 2001 enjoyed bestseller weekly runs of four weeks or more. There are two books of poetry here (quite unusual for the fiction list): The Best Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, selected and edited by Caroline Kennedy (Hyperion) and Journey Through Heartsongs by Mattie Stepanek (VSP Books). The first was on the list for 14 weeks and proves that the Kennedy name continues to have sales magic. Journey is by an 11-year-old boy who has a terminal illness and wanted his poetry to inspire peace and good feeling. One of his wishes was to appear on Oprah. He did, and was invited back several times--his book sales soared.

Other 300,000-plus novels by authors familiar to national bestseller charts are: The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte); The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans (Delacorte); Envy by Sandra Brown (Warner); Flesh and Blood by Jonathan Kellerman (Random House); Hemlock Bay by Catherine Coulter (Putnam); and Mercy by Julie Garwood (Pocket).

At Fiction's 200,000+ Level

There were 15 fiction hardcovers with sales of 200,000-plus that did not make the annual top 30, two fewer than in 2000. All the books here had impressive weekly runs, with four enjoying double-digit tenure: The Mitford Snowmen by Jan Karon (Viking); Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler (Knopf); The Fourth Hand by John Irving (Random); and The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve (Little, Brown).

Books with tenures of four to eight weeks are: The Jury by Steve Martini (Putnam); Any Way the Wind Blows by E. Lynn Harris (Doubleday); Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (Pocket); Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 by Garrison Keillor (Viking); Shock by Robin Cook (Putnam); Edge of Danger by Jack Higgins (Putnam); The Woman Next Door by Barbara Delinsky (Simon & Schuster); Special Ops by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam); and Open Season by Linda Howard (Pocket).

Only two books in this group were on the lists for less than a month--Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende (HarperCollins) and The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind (Tor).

A Lower Tally for 150,000+

The 16 books with sales of 150,000-plus that did not make the top-30 list is a return to the 1999 level. In 2000, there were a record 24 books with sales of 150,000. Only two in this group have yet to make an appearance on the weekly charts: Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes by Jan Karon (Viking) and Good Harbor by Anita Diamant (Scribner). Both came close on several occasions. Patches is one of those fiction/nonfiction hybrids--the book includes quotes by real people, but it is all in the handwriting (with notes) of fictitous Mitford rector Father Tim, made famous by bestselling novelist Jan Karon. Viking insists that this should be in the fiction grouping; PW thinks not, but adhered to the publisher's wishes (as Father Tim quotes Christopher Morley: "The enemies of the truth are always awfully nice").

Only three books in the group were on our weekly lists for less than a month: The Cat Who Smelled a Rat by Lilian Jackson Braun (Putnam); The Family by Mario Puzo (ReganBooks); and Orchid Blues by Stuart Woods (Putnam). Death in Holy Orders by P.D. James (Knopf) had a 10-week run and A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown) was on the list nine times.

The other nine clocked in at more than a month but less than two. They are: Potshot by Robert B. Parker (Putnam); Cold Paradise by Stuart Woods (Putnam); Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs (Scribner); Final Target by Iris Johansen (Bantam); Lost & Found by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam); Star Wars: Darth Maul, Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves (Del Rey/LucasBooks); A Traitor to Memory by Elizabeth George (Bantam); Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara (Ballantine); and Antrax by Terry Brooks (Del Rey).

The 125,000+ Group

This seems to be the level for debut fiction in 2001. Three of the 14 books with sales of 125,000 or more were first fiction: The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall (Houghton Mifflin); Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (Atlantic Monthly); My Dream of You by Nuala O'Faolain (Putnam). The Wind Done Gone (eight weeks on the charts), billed as the first-person story of Rhett Butler's black mistress, benefited from the publicity surrounding a lawsuit. O'Faolain's first book was a bestselling memoir, Are You Somebody?; her novel stayed seven weeks on the charts. Enger's well-reviewed book did not make the top 15 but came close several times. Two other books with sales of 125,000 that did not appear on the weekly charts were Warrior Class by Dale Brown (Putnam) and The Gryphon by Nick Bantock (Chronicle).

The other nine--all familiar names on the charts--had runs of one to four weeks each. They are: The Forgotten by Faye Kellerman (Morrow); America by Stephen Coonts (St. Martin's); Between Lovers by Eric Jerome Dickey (Dutton); Hollywood Wives--The New Generation by Jackie Collins (Simon & Schuster); Riley in the Morning by Sandra Brown (Bantam); Death in Paradise by Robert B. Parker (Putnam); Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier (Dutton); The Skies of Pern by Anne McCaffrey (Del Rey); and May There Be a Road by Louis L'Amour (Bantam).

A New Record for 100,000+

There were 25 books that sold more than 100,000 copies that did not make the top 30, a new record. In 2000, that number was 19, and the previous record was 23 in 1998. Ten titles in this group never appeared on a weekly PW list in 2001. Nine had runs of less than a month, while six stayed on the list for more than a month. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (Morrow) had a nine-week run, the longest in this group.

The no-shows were: Seduction by Design by Sandra Brown (Warner); Brazen Virtue by Nora Roberts (Bantam); A Woman Betrayed by Barbara Delinsky (Morrow); What You Owe Me by Bebe Moore Campbell (Putnam); Warlock by Wilbur Smith (St. Martin's); To Trust a Stranger by Karen Robards (Pocket); The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul (Ballantine); Never Change by Elizabeth Berg (Pocket); The Body Artist by Don DeLillo (Scribner); and Looking Back by Belva Plain (Delacorte).

Those with one- to three-week runs were: Star Wars: Cloak of Deception by James Luceno (Del Rey/LucasBooks); McNally's Chance by Lawrence Sanders (Putnam); Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Balance Point by Troy Denning (Del Rey/ LucasBooks); Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton (Berkley); How to Be Good by Nick Hornby (Riverhead); Moving Target by Elizabeth Lowell (Morrow); Tell No One by Harlan Coben (Delacorte); Blood Lure by Nevada Barr (Putnam); and Heart of a Warrior by Johanna Lindsey (Morrow).

The six bestsellers with tenures of a month or more are: Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman (Putnam); Long Time No See by Susan Isaacs (HarperCollins); Dune: House Corrino by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Bantam); Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox (HarperEntertainment); Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (Morrow); and The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen (Ballantine).

The Nonfiction Runners-Up

Eleven nonfiction books in this second tier enjoyed double-digit tenures on the weekly charts or appeared for three months or more on our religion charts. Two, The Christmas Box Miracle and Prime Time Emeril, never made it on a PW list last year; one, Dear Mom, appeared for a single week. These types of books often sell very well in price clubs, discount outlets and specialty stores. History, memoirs and inspirational tomes dominate. Two titles, The Final Days by Barbara Olson, and Germs by Judith Miller et al., received a lot of media attention after September 11. Olson's tragic death in the plane that was crashed into the Pentagon got lots of coverage, and Miller was a popular talking head during the anthrax scare.

16.The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany by Stephen E. Ambrose (Simon & Schuster, **500,000+)
17.Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir and Michele Fitoussi. (Talk Miramax, 477,867)
18.FISH! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen. (Hyperion, 469,230)
19.Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission by Hampton Sides. (Doubleday, **450,000+)
20.The Christmas Box Miracle by Richard Paul Evans. (Simon & Schuster, **390,000+)
21.Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris. (Random House, 379,142)
22.Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson. (Tyndale, 365,000)
23.Crossing Over: The Stories Behind the Stories by John Edward. (Jodere Group, 347,405)
24.The Final Days by Barbara Olson. (Regnery, 332,346)
25.Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William Broad. (Simon & Schuster, **325,000)
26.Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. (Random House, 320,756)
27.Napalm and Silly Putty by George Carlin. (Hyperion, 319,180)
28.Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear by Max Lucado. (W Publishing, 315,862)
29.Prime Time Emeril: More TV Dinners from America's Favorite Chef by Emeril Lagasse. (Morrow Cookbooks, 310,000)
30.Dear Mom: Thank You for Everything by Bradley Trevor Greive. (Andrews McMeel, 301,73)

A Higher Tally for 200,000+

Last year 27 books with sales of more than 200,000 did not make the annual top 30, a new record for this level. In 2000, the tally was 19 books; in 1999, the number was 14. Seven of these books did not appear on PW's weekly charts last year: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion by Jude Fisher (Houghton Mifflin); Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch and James F. Balch (Avery); Looking for Mr. Right by Bradley Trevor Greive (Andrews McMeel); Madonna by Andrew Morton (St. Martin's); War Letters by Andrew Carroll (Scribner); Dale Earnhardt by the editors of the Charlotte Observer (Sports Publishing); and The Prayer of Jesus by Hank Hanegraaff (W Publishing). Lord of the Rings is described as a Middle-earth encyclopedia with explanations of the movie sets and special effects. Yes, Middle-earth is a fictional location, but we put this reference book in nonfiction.

Ten titles in this group enjoyed tenures of eight weeks or more on our charts: An Album of Memories: Personal Histories from the Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw (Random); Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau (Ballantine); Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis (Knopf); The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup (Bantam); Are We Living in the End Times? by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye (Tyndale); The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen Hawking (Bantam); Suzanne Somers' Eat, Cheat and Melt the Fat Away by Suzanne Somers (Crown); A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen (Random); God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood (Rutledge Hill); and Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole by Jerri Nielsen with Maryanne Vollers (Talk Miramax).

Four books appeared on the lists for four to eight weeks: One Nation: America Remembers September 11, 2001 by the editors of Life magazine (Little, Brown); Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family by Art Smith (Hyperion); Fire by Sebastian Junger (Norton); and Foley Is Good by Mick Foley (ReganBooks).

The other six titles had one- to three-week runs: The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness by Gary Zukav and Linda Francis (S&S); Holy War, Inc. by Peter L. Bergen (Free Press); Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton (Free Press); The Lost Son: A Life in Pursuit of Justice by Bernard B. Kerik (ReganBooks); Past Lives, Future Healing by Sylvia Browne with Lindsay Harrison (Dutton); and National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley (Knopf).

Nonfiction's 150,000+

There were 18 books at this sales level that did not make the top 30 list, two more than in 2000, but five fewer than the record set in 1999. There were a number of titles in this group that became popular after September 11, especially Karen Armstrong's Islam: A Short History. Regnery's Bias is another example; it was also one of the many books reflecting strong conservative points of view that did well in the last few months of 2001.

Seven books did not appear on PW's weekly lists. They are: Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy by Bill Cosby (Hyperion); At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt by Leigh Montville (Doubleday); The World Trade Center: A Tribute by Bill Harris (Running Press/ Courage); It's True, It's True by Kurt Angle (ReganBooks); The Darwin Awards II by Wendy Northcutt (Dutton); Mars and Venus in the Workplace by John Gray (HarperCollins); and There's a Spiritual Solution for Every Problem by Wayne W. Dyer (HarperCollins).

The books that did enjoy time on the weekly charts or on PW's monthly religion charts are: In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton (Holt); An Open Heart: Practicing the Art of Compassion by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Little, Brown); Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News by Bernard Goldberg (Regnery); The God Catchers: Experiencing the Manifest Presence of God by Tommy Tenney (Nelson); Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (Houghton Mifflin); When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It! by Yogi Berra with Dave Kaplan (Hyperion); Life Makeovers: 52 Practical and Inspiring Ways to Improve Your Life One Week at a Time by Cheryl Richardson (Broadway); When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan (Viking); Night Light: A Devotional for Couples by James and Shirley Dobson (Multnomah); Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong (Modern Library); and War in a Time of Peace by David Halberstam (Scribner).

A Higher Tally for 125,000+

This group had 20 books that did not make our top-30 list, five more than the 2000 number. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler (Riverhead) enjoyed a third year on our monthly hardcover religion charts and Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge (Nelson) has had a five-month run on the religion list.

Eight books never appeared on a 2001 list: Grow Younger, Live Longer by Deepak Chopra (Harmony); Heaven and Earth by James Van Praagh (Simon & Schuster Source); Financial Security in Troubled Times: What You Need to Do Now by Ric Edelman (HarperBusiness); Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins (HarperBusiness); Now Let Me Tell You What I Really Think by Chris Matthews (Free Press); Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich (Holt/Metropolitan); The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John C. Maxwell (Nelson); and Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw by Mark Bowden (Atlantic Monthly). Also, Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones by Quincy Jones (Doubleday) made a single-week appearance.

All the others in this group had runs of a month or more on the 2001 charts: Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments by Dominick Dunne (Crown); French Lessons by Peter Mayle (Knopf); Longaberger: An American Success Story by David H. Longaberger and Robert L. Shook (HarperBusiness); Separation of Power by Vince Flynn (Pocket); The Life God Blesses by Jim Cymbala with Stephen Sorenson (Zondervan); The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester (HarperCollins); Living a Life That Matters: Resolving the Conflict Between Conscience and Success by Harold S. Kushner (Knopf); Fresh Power by Jim Cymbala with Dean Merrill (Zondervan); and If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg (Zondervan).

The 100,000+ Circle

In 2001, 28 books with sales of more than 100,000 did not place on the top-30 list--a high number, but fewer than the record set in 2000 when the tally was 36. More than half--16--did not appear on the weekly charts in 2001. Only one, An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster), had a double-digit tenure, enjoying 13 weeks on the 2001 charts. The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action by Wendy Northcutt (Dutton) had a nine-week run.

The other 10 titles that appeared on last year's weekly or monthly lists were: Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey (Doubleday); Relationship Rescue by Phillip C. McGraw (Hyperion); Kiss and Make-up by Gene Simmons (Crown); He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado (W Publishing); New York September 11 by Magnum Photographers (PowerHouse); The O'Reilly Factor by Bill O'Reilly (Broadway); Supreme Injustice: How the High Court Highjacked Election 2000 by Alan M. Dershowitz (Oxford Univ. Press); Meditations by Sylvia Browne (Hay House); It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins (Putnam); and Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler (Morrow).

The 16 no-shows were: Mrs. Sharp's Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach (Scribner); The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon (Scribner); Perhaps Today by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye (Tyndale); The Dirt by Tommy Lee (ReganBooks); My Journey by Robert H. Schuller (Harper San Francisco); Mother O'Mine: A Mother's Treasury by Mary Engelbreit (Andrews McMeel); Churchill by Roy Jenkins (Farrar, Straus & Giroux); Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris (Multnomah); The Kennedy Men: 1901 1963 by Laurence Leamer (Morrow); The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion); Shaq Talks Back by Shaquille O'Neal (St. Martin's); It's Only a Game by Terry Bradshaw (Pocket); I Love Lucy: The Official 50th Anniversary Tribute Celebrating 50 Years of Love and Laughter by Elisabeth Edwards (Running Press); The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan (Random); Close to Shore by Michael Capuzzo (Doubleday); and A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain (Bloomsbury).

Publishers Weekly 2001 Bestsellers

FICTION: Who's on First?
How Publishers Weekly's bestsellers compared with the rankings in major chains, wholesalers and independents

NONFICTION: Who's on Second?
How Publishers Weekly's bestsellers compared with the rankings in major chains, wholesalers and independents